Pneumatic-tire casing.



ARTHUR GRUBER, 0F EVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

PFl'IJUlVIATIG-TIRE CASING.

Specification oi Letters Patent.

v Patented Apr. 28. 31918.

Application filed March 30, 1917. Serial No. 158,520.

To all whom it may concern:

Another object is to provide a casing which will be much more resilient than the usual pneumatic tire casing with about half of the air required in the ordinary tire. It is well known that unless the air pressure of an ordinary pneumatic tire is'maintained at a proper point, the life of the tire will be greatly lessened; furthermore when the tire is inflated to the proper pressure it loses a considerable amount of its resiliency which is only obtained when the tire is c0mparatively soft. But, when the tire is used only partially inflated it will assume a substantially transversely elliptical shape and the opposite sides will sooner or later crack so that a blow-outwill occur. It is to overcome the last named defect, while at the same time to provide a tire which will have all the re 'siliency of a partially inflated tire, that my invention has been devised.

In addition to the other features, an additional ObJGClJ is to produce a tire the carcass of which may be retreaded an indefinlte number of times.

lll

view through my With the foregoing and several other objects in view the invention resides in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be, hereinafter'more particularly described and in the drawings wherein: Figure 1 represents a transverse sectional improved tire casing, part of said casing being shown in perspective and Fig. 2 is a side elevational vicwypartly in section, of a few of the spring metal plates which are used in reinforcing the body or carcass of my tire. Y

In the accompanying drawing, wherein similar reference characters des gnate like parts, the numeral 1 indicates the tread portion of a tire constructed in accordance with my invention and 2 denotes the carcass.

' lln building the latter a plurality of spring metal plates 3 form the foundation upon which sheet of fabric are cemented. From Fig. 1 it will be noted that in edge view each plate is substantially il -shaped, the main portions being approximately elliptical. The

tread portions of the lates as well as their sides are relatively thin, while the free ends are materially thickened as shown at i, the inner surfaces of the latter ends being conformed to the inner curvature of the tire. The outer-sides of the ends 4 preferably have ribs 5 each, when covered with. the above mentioned fabric form the beads 6 of the usual clencher casing. It is obvious that when straight side tires are made these ribs 5 will be omitted.

Each of the plates transversely widened tially mid-way their 3 has its tread portion. from points ubstansides as shown at 7.

The widened portion of each plate is about one-half the thickness of the other parts of the plates to provide recesses 8, and thcse reduced portions over-lap each other as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Each plate one portion 7 with its outer surface cut away to provide the recess 8, while the other portion T has its under surface cut away o as to produce the lapped joints shown. When the plates 1 3 are placed together edge to edge with the portions 7 overlapping, a very strong, et a extremely resilient armor is formed which will prevent the usualinner tube from either being punctured or blowing out. llt is obvious that the increased amount of resiliency" is obtained by the elliptical shape of each plate. The widened portion 7 extending from the center of the opposite sides of each. plate give the added strength necessary at the point of greatest strain.

Fig. 1 shows the preferred methodof applying the fabric portions of the carcass to the reinforcing plates 3, and in this figure it will be noted that because of the addition of these plates the walls of the casing may be much thinner than ordinarily necessary. After the plates are placed together to form an annular body, one or more sheets offabric 9 are cemented to the inner sides thereof, thereby providing a smooth unbroken surface for the usual inner tube. Similar slows plates are recessed. to provide shoulders 12 duced, an

of fabric 10 secured to the outer surfaces of the plates '3, and upon the tread surface of these the tread i vulcanized.

The inner edges of the fabric-sheets 9 and 10 are preferably secured to the thickened portions 4 of the plates 3 by means of rivets or other fastening elements 11. From Fig.

i it will be seen that these ends 4 of the against which the edges of abut.- Thus a portion of each inetallic plate 3 Will be exposed for engagement with the metal surface of the retaining riin which holds the casing and inner tube to the vehicle Wheel. Although more or less heat. is always generated by the friction of the tires with the road surface, especially Where such tires contain metallic reinforcing or puncture proof plates, by providing the exposed parts of the plates of my invention and permittingsame to engage the metallic retaining rim it Will be seen that the heat will not collect in the carcass of the-tire, but will travel from the ends lot the plates and. be distributed through the retaining rim.

The tread portion 1 of my improved casing may be constructed of any preferred the fabric strips rubber composition 13 with fabric reinforo ings i l. Added resiliency is obtained by placing a strip of pure rubber between the tread portion 1 and the carcass The plates 3 retain the carcass of the tire substantially elliptical in transverse cross sec-- tion, the axis of the ellipse being disposed parallel with the axis the center of rotation of the tire, or in other Words, with the axle of the Wheel on which the casing is mounted. This gives an added resiliency to the tire which is not possible in tire of ordinary shape, as hereinbeforc set forth.

' advisable to procure u. so

But since it is called one point contact with the road surface, the tread sin'face is added, the same eing relatively thin at its ed; portions and rather tluczr its central portion, whereby the tread portion of the casing assumes a. SUbStRR'Ufilj sein -circular shape in transverse cross section.

From the foregoing description taken in. connection with the accoi'npanying drawing it Will be seen that a m eilicient puncture and blow cut proof casing has been proimportant part of the invention consisting of the provision of a plurality of annularly disposed s g metal plates. material of which those metallic plates formed is not important, but it. has been. found by.exp rin'icitation th "We t" l t d ,t.

1c casing to I posite free end portions being aluminiun the county of Leashes used with fifty per cent. less than is required in any ings of similar size.

I claim:

1. A tire casing of the class described having a body provided with a plurality of flexible resilient substantially Usl1aped rcinforcing plates, relatively thiz'i throughout the major portions of their length, their opmaterially thickened to reinforce the edges of the casing.

2. A. tire casino of the class described having a body comprising a. plurality of flexible resilient substantially Li -shaped reinforcing plates, relatively hout the major thin tln'ou portions of their length, their opposite free air pressure pneumatic tire casend portions being materially thickened to reinforce the edges of the casing, said thick-- ened portions being recessed in their inner side, and fabric sheets disposed on the inner and outer surfaces of said plates, the opposite edges of said sheets being disposed in said recesses and secured to said thickened portions.

- A tire casing of the class described having a body provided with a plurality of flexlble resilient, substantially Usbapcd reinforcing plates disposed edge to edge in abutting relation, the tr ad portions of each of said plates being transversely widened in opposite directions, the Widening portion on one side of each plate having its outer surface cut away to reduce the thickness thereof, the Widening portions on. the opposite sides of the plates having thci 1. inner sides cut away to reduce the thickness thereof, the adjacent Widening portions being overlapped to provide continuous reinforcing sin'faccs of equal thiclniess.

A tire casing of the class described having a carcass substantially elliptical in transverse cross section, the axis of the ellipse being disposed parallcd with the axis of the center of-r0tatiou (if-said casing, a plurality of reinforcing plates disposed in said casing. each of said plates being substantially elliptical in edge view similar to the transverse cross sectional shape of the carcass, and a tread portion secured to the outer si'nitaco of said carcass, said tread portion being thin at its edges and relativridy thick intermediate its edge whereby the road engaging part of the casing is rendered substantially scrnhcircular in trai'isvcrsc cross section.

' in testimony that I claim the fort-i oing l: have hereunto set my b and at llvtilwaul- Milwaukee and State of? cousin.

AltlHUR H. Glilliilfljit. 

